Forestry Officer

Forestry officers manage Sri Lanka's forest resources — conservation forests, production forests, watershed forests, and village forests — under the mandate of the Forest Department (FD), one of Sri Lanka's oldest government agencies. Sri Lanka's forests cover approximately 29% of its land area, concentrated in the wet zone lowlands (tropical rainforests), the hill country (submontane forests), and the dry zone (dry mixed evergreen forests). The Forest Department manages 60% of Sri Lanka's remaining natural forests and is responsible for implementing the country's National Forest Policy. Forestry officers conduct forest inventory surveys, manage reforestation programmes, combat illegal logging and encroachment, manage community forestry programmes, coordinate wildlife management with the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and advise on watershed management. A Forest University College at Hindagala, Peradeniya offers diploma and degree programmes in forestry. University of Sri Jayewardenepura and Sabaragamuwa University also offer BSc programmes in natural resources management. Internationally, forestry professionals work for CIFOR (Centre for International Forestry Research), FAO Forestry Division, REDD+ programmes, and tropical forest conservation organisations.